Characterizing Community-Based Mental Health Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Disruptive Behavior Problems

This study describes the characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with disruptive behavior problems served in community-based mental health clinics, characterizes psychotherapy process and outcome, and examines differences between children with ASD and a non-ASD comparison group. Results indicate that children with ASD served in this setting are high functioning and diagnostically complex. Certain research-based behavioral and cognitive behavioral psychotherapeutic strategies were observed frequently, while parent training strategies and active teaching strategies were observed less frequently. The intensity or thoroughness with which strategies were pursued was relatively low. Outcome analyses indicate improvement in child symptoms and family functioning. Treatment delivery and outcome were similar for children with and without ASD. These findings represent the first detailed observational data characterizing community-based mental health services for children with ASD

Escala Razões para Fumar da Universidade de São Paulo: um novo instrumento para avaliar a motivação para fumar University of São Paulo Reasons for Smoking Scale: a new tool for the evaluation of smoking motivation

OBJETIVO: Desenvolver uma nova escala voltada para a avaliação da motivação para fumar, incorporando questões do 68-item Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68, Inventário Wisconsin dos Motivos de Dependência ao Fumo, de 68 itens) na Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS. Escala Razões para Fumar Modificada). MÉTODOS: Nove questões do WISDM-68 relativas à associação estreita, exposição a gatilhos/processos associativos e controle de peso foram incorporadas às 21 questões da MRSS. Um total de 311 fumantes (214 homens; idade média = 37,6 ± 10,8 anos; média de cigarros consumidos ao dia = 15,0 ± 9,2) responderam a nova escala, o Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND, Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina) e outras questões. Empregamos a análise fatorial exploratória para determinar a estrutura fatorial da escala. A influência de algumas características clínicas nos escores da solução fatorial final foi também avaliada. RESULTADOS: A análise fatorial revelou uma solução com 21 questões agrupadas em nove fatores: dependência, prazer de fumar, redução da tensão, estimulação, automatismo, manuseio, tabagismo social, controle de peso e associação estreita. Para a escala como um todo, o coeficiente alfa de Cronbach foi de 0,83. As mulheres exibiram maiores escores para dependência, redução da tensão, manuseio, controle de peso e associação estreita do que os homens. Os escores do FTND correlacionaram-se positivamente com dependência, redução da tensão, estimulação, automatismo, tabagismo social e associação estreita. O número de cigarros fumados ao dia se associou com dependência, redução da tensão, estimulação, automatismo, associação estreita e manuseio. Os níveis de CO exalado mostraram associações positivas com dependência, automatismo e associação estreita. CONCLUSÕES: A nova escala fornece um quadro aceitável dos fatores motivacionais associados ao tabagismo, com confiabilidade e propriedades psicométricas satisfatórias.<br>OBJECTIVE: To develop a new scale aimed at evaluating smoking motivation by incorporating questions and domains from the 68-item Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68) into the Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS). METHODS: Nine WISDM-68 questions regarding affiliative attachment, cue exposure/associative processes, and weight control were added to the 21 questions of the MRSS. The new scale, together with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), was administered to 311 smokers (214 males; mean age = 37.6 ± 10.8 years; mean number of cigarettes smoked per day = 15.0 ± 9.2), who also provided additional information. We used exploratory factor analysis in order to determine the factor structure of the scale. The influence that certain clinical features had on the scores of the final factor solution was also analyzed. RESULTS: The factor analysis revealed a 21-question solution grouped into nine factors: addiction, pleasure from smoking, tension reduction, stimulation, automatism, handling, social smoking, weight control, and affiliative attachment. For the overall scale, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.83. Females scored significantly higher for addiction, tension reduction, handling, weight control, and affiliative attachment than did males. The FTND score correlated positively with addiction, tension reduction, stimulation, automatism, social smoking, and affiliative attachment. The number of cigarettes smoked per day was associated with addiction, tension reduction, stimulation, automatism, affiliative attachment, and handling. The level of exhaled CO correlated positively with addiction, automatism, and affiliative attachment. CONCLUSIONS: The new scale provides an acceptable framework of motivational factors for smoking, with satisfactory psychometric properties and reliability